Where are you Mother?
by suicune4ever
Summary: Eight-year-old Azula has a fever, and all she wants is for her mother Ursa to look after her... Oneshot


**Hello everyone :) I'm back with another angsty one-shot featuring Azula. I still don't know why I have a sudden interest in angst. I've always avoided them before...**

_**THIS WAS INSPIRED BY THIS AMAZING PICTURE I SAW ON DEVIANTART. It is called "Where are you Mum" by kelly1412. Please do check it out if possible. And the cover image for this is "Ursa and Azula" by Quirkilicious.**_

**Anyway, I believe it's common sense that I do _not_ own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**Enjoy :)**

**P.S. Azula would be around 8 years old.**

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My small body shuddered as another cough echoed in the large room. I sat up, only to crawl back under my pink silk sheets again as the world around me spun. Sweat pricked at my forehead and I groaned in discomfort. I tossed and turned in my bed, feeling hot and stuffy. Fevers are the most annoying thing, really. I am a prodigy, and prodigies do _not_ get sick! Especially not one as bad as this fever. I closed my eyes and my mind went back to the training session I had with my father today.

In spite of my condition, he still makes me practice. I winced as I remembered Father's harsh scoldings and the little present he gave me. Why? Because my firebending was too _weak_, apparently. Does he care about whether I was sick or not? Of course not. I am the prodigy. The one whose bending is _never_ weak.

_Flashback_

_"Princess Azula, the Fire Lord requests for your presence for your training session." _

_I got up, clutching at my head when I began to feel dizzy. The maid helped me change into my training outfit and fumbled with my clothes now and then. While I would have normally snapped at her for her incompetency, I was far too exhausted to do so (though I didn't want to admit it)._

_I walked down the corridor leading to my father's training field, my confident stride masking my fatigue. The Fire Lord finally came into my sight, and I bowed to him. _

_He nodded before frowning at my obviously exhausted appearance: my hair was partially disheveled, my nose was red, and my eyes were bloodshot. "What is this?" he asked._

_"I have a small fever today, Father. It isn't anything important." He almost seemed disgusted and looked at me, __before taking a bending stance, myself doing the same. The training had begun._

_It was obvious in the first five minutes that I wasn't fit enough to train today. My movements were lethargic, and my firebending wasn't coordinated. By the time we finished the first set, I was panting heavily, and I felt the need to wipe my now runny nose. "Stop," commanded Father. I stood up and looked at Father. "It is obvious that it would be best if we stop training now."_

_I felt elated. Was Father going to allow me to rest since I was sick? However I found myself protesting. "But why, Father? I believe that I can continue training." _

_Father snarled at me._

_"Your bending is weak, almost as bad as your worthless brother's. You have disgraced me by showing me such weak firebending. It is not fitting for a prodigy. Your movements are slow and clumsy, your concentration is waning. And your firebending today was pathetic." I only barely managed to keep my tears in._

_"But Father, it is only because I have a fever, otherwise-" I was cut off by my father._

_"I could care less if you had a fever or not. A prodigy shouldn't even get sick in the first place! Your brother has already let me down. Do not do the same Azula."_

And because of that, Father had given me a gift during the training: a bruise on my left leg.

I stuck an arm out underneath my covers and groped at thin air. I pushed myself up in a sitting position, and noted that my glass of water was empty. "Maid!" I called out. As expected, she came running into my room. "I need water. Now." And with that, she bowed to me before going out to fetch my request. She returned and I greedily drank the beverage. I got up, feeling too refreshed to sleep.

"You should drink your medicine, your highness," the maid advised. I stubbornly refused to do so. I remembered a part from a story that I had read.

'_When she had fallen ill... her mother took care of her... stayed by her side the whole time...'_

If that was true, then where was _my_ mother? I clearly didn't expect her to be by my side the whole time, but at least she could have visited me just once, right? She hadn't even gone anywhere, she was only in the palace! I was enraged. If this was _Zuko_, she would have been cooing over him and taking care of him the whole day - no - the whole _week_, if he asked.

However, if I had asked, I would have probably only gotten a 'I'm sorry Azula, I'm a bit busy.'

Even so, I continued to resist the maid before I finally couldn't take it and shouted at her, "I want Mother!" The maid, clearly not expecting the outburst, bowed and went out to fetch the Fire Lady.

I waited for her to come back with her. Mother would then smile at me, and then coax me to drink my medicine. I would then ask her: "Stay with me, for a while?" and she would happily accept, and she'd tell me stories until I fell asleep.

I was disappointed.

"I'm sorry, but she is a bit busy, Princess Azula." I was crushed but put up a brave front, and I no longer resisted when she gave me the bitter medicine. She then left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Surely Mother has thought of me right? Perhaps she even came in now and then, and I just didn't notice. I did fall asleep quite a few times. And she is Fire Lady. Perhaps she really was busy. Trying to ignore the fact that I was probably lying to myself, I fell asleep.

I didn't know that she had been with Zuko all day.

I didn't know that she was more worried about Zuko's small cold, than my full-blown fever.

I didn't know that she cared more about him.

I didn't know that she felt annoyed with me, because Zuko had gotten a cold because of me.

I didn't know that she was _right next door with Zuko_ because...

... I didn't even know where she was.

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**I admit that I was a bit disappointed in the second half of the one-shot, and I especially hated my rather horrible ending but even so, I hope you guys enjoyed! And leaving a review would be nice...**

**And also, for those who did like this story, have a look at "Forever a Child". Similar theme, and apparently people actually liked it... **


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